A shoe comprising an outsole; an upper coupled to the outsole; a back-pull coupled to a heel area of the shoe between the upper and the outsole; and a zipper closure on an inside quarter of the upper. The zipper closure can extend from an eyestay on the inside quarter, along the inside quarter between the outsole and a collar, and toward the heel area of the shoe. The zipper closure can terminate on the inside quarter and does not extend to a vertical line passing through a rearmost point of the upper. The back-pull can be selected from a group consisting of a ring and a tab.

The invention includes a shoe system including a sole having attached fasteners and interchangeable uppers having complementary fasteners. In other embodiments, the invention includes particular uppers that may be used in such a shoe system.

A rapid-entry shoe includes an actuator arm, having a pivot point, and a closure system. Movement of the actuator arm from an uncollapsed position to a collapsed position opens the closure system and movement of the actuator arm from the collapsed position to the uncollapsed position closes the closure system, according to various embodiments.

A footwear upper comprises a front section and a rear section. The front section is at least partially forward of the rear section and at least partially defines a foot-receiving cavity. The front section has a medial edge and a lateral edge partially defining a foot entry opening. A zipper system includes a medial slider movable along the medial edge of the front section to zip the rear section to the medial edge, a medial zipper pull engaged with the medial slider, a lateral slider movable along the lateral edge of the front section to zip the rear section to the lateral edge, and a lateral zipper pull engaged with the lateral slider. A tightening system includes a lace-receiving feature on the front section forward of the zipper system, and a lace extending through the lace-receiving feature, through the medial zipper pull, and through the lateral zipper pull.

A shoe system including a shoe upper with a bottom side having an aperture extending to a cavity. The shoe system also includes a selectively removable outsole which includes a bottom for contacting the ground, and a top for engaging with the bottom of the shoe upper. The top side of the outsole further includes a projection which is sized and shaped to extend through the aperture and into the cavity when the outsole is in a first orientation, which is misaligned with respect to the shoe upper. The projection is also sized and shaped to fit within the cavity but no longer back through the aperture when the outsole is in a second orientation, which is aligned with respect to the shoe upper. In the second orientation, the projection within said cavity prevents disengagement of the outsole from the shoe upper.

A footwear article is provided herein. In one embodiment, a footwear article comprises a first cord forming a first plurality of loops, a second cord forming a second plurality of loops, the second plurality of loops slippably-engaged and intertwined with the first plurality of loops to form at least a portion of an upper configured to at least partially enclose a foot, and a heel strap comprising a heel counter and a connection cord, the connection cord fixedly intertwined with at least the first cord, the heel strap is adjustable from a first position to a second position. In this way, the footwear article may be converted from a first type of footwear article into a second type of footwear article.

Provided herein are methods for the modulation of appearance or material properties within items of apparel or equipment. Also provided herein are design articles having alterable designs.

Disclosed is a shoe having a compressible lattice structure in a heel portion to facilitate rapid, easy donning and doffing of shoes. In example embodiments, the lattice structure includes a plurality of interconnected, overlapping, intersecting and/or woven ribs defining a plurality of apertures. The lattice structure has an open position in which the shoe opening is expanded to facilitate reception of a foot of an individual wearing the rapid-entry shoe, and a closed position in which the shoe opening is smaller to retain the foot within the rapid-entry shoe.

An article of footwear comprises a sole structure and a footwear upper secured to the sole structure and defining an ankle opening. A device comprises a control bar having a center segment secured to a rear portion of the footwear upper rearward of the ankle opening, a medial side arm extending downwardly and forwardly from the center segment at a medial side of the footwear upper and fixed to the sole structure, and a lateral side arm extending downwardly and forwardly from the center segment at a lateral side of the footwear upper and fixed to the sole structure. The control bar depresses downward under an applied force to a loaded position as the side arms resiliently bend, storing potential energy that returns the control bar to an unloaded position upon removal of the applied force, the rear portion of the footwear upper moving with the control bar.

Described are shoes for ball sports including an upper having an outer surface. An actuator is configured to change at least one surface property of a portion of the outer surface of the upper, and a sensor is configured to be sensitive to movements of the shoe. A processing unit is connected to the actuator and the sensor and configured to process sensor data retrieved from the sensor and to cause the actuator to change the at least one surface property of the portion of the outer surface of the upper if a predetermined event is detected in the sensor data.